This invention relates generally to an electronically controlled firearm and to cartridges especially adapted therefor, which employs an improved impactless ignition system for the projectile propellant. The invention also relates to an improved electronic control system for restricting the use of the firearm to authorized users.
A conventional firearm utilizes a mechanically actuated firing pin to strike a primer cap at the rear of the cartridge, to thereby ignite the propellant for the projectile. The ejection system for the spent shell may be mechanically operated or may be operated by the propellant itself. Control of the firearm is entirely within the hands of the user, whether authorized or not. This leads to possible criminal uses of the firearm, or dangerous use by children. It would be desirable to provide an improved impactless propellant ignition system for the firearm and the cartridge.
It would be desirable to provide an improved shell injection and ejection system, which simplifies firing of multiple rounds in a firearm. It would also be desirable to provide an electronic identification system, which would limit use of the firearm to authorized users.
Propellant Ignition System for Firearm and Cartridge
This weapon will function comparably to existing projectile-based weaponry, whereby a cartridge consisting of a casing which houses a slug and explosive powder is activated by a firing device of sorts. The firearm incorporates a diode laser, which is used to ignite the explosive powder within ammunition of modified design. This is achieved by modifying the ammunition to facilitate a neodymium chip (ND:VYO 4 ) at the tail of each shell initiating an internal combustion of the propellant as an internal xe2x80x9clasingxe2x80x9d takes place. In order to render the weapon""s laser capable of firing, a lithium-ion battery is implemented into the weapon design along with accompanying circuitry. Depression of the trigger will complete the circuit providing power to the laser, in turn, firing off a round.
Shell Injection Ejection
Due to the non-mechanical nature of the weapon""s firing mechanism, an alternative method of introducing live rounds into the chamber from an ammunition clip are implemented. Spring activated components are no longer necessary in order to reactivate the firing device. The weapon will inject rounds and eject spent casings utilizing a chain-linked method. A spring-loaded ammunition clip will house a number of bullets connected by a flexible plastic chain link upon which each bullet is snapped into place. The loaded clip is then snapped into place on the underside of the weapon in its respective slot, wherein a safety mechanism on the clip is activated allowing a shell to pass through an opening in the chamber. The ammunition chain will fragment successively as each bullet is carried into the chamber and fired. The explosion within the chamber will cause such an action to occur. As each round is fired, the spent casing is directed through an opening in the side of the barrel along with the recently fragmented chain link. Alternate methods of shell injection/ejection may be utilized with said firing mechanism and/or supplemental circuitry.
Data Gathering
The electronic control system for weaponry incorporating these technologies, will hold an advantage over traditional mechanical weaponry for many reasons. Due to the electronic nature of the weapon, control possibilities increase dramatically through the utilization of digital technology. By incorporating an onboard microcomputer with accompanying circuitry and RAM, storage of user identification and firing data can be made possible. The onboard microcomputer can be made to be extremely small, as it will need to process and store minimal data. A data transfer card will supplement the onboard computer in order to retrieve data and store it on a mainframe computer (PC compatible). The data card will connect internally to the weapon via the ID card circuit connection prongs and will feed data to a PC or mainframe via a computer interface cable to be hooked up to any of the various ports (as options present). The onboard microcomputer will store data such as users logged on with accompanying dates of use and firing dates and times (military versions will allow multiple users to operate each weapon given military clearance coded ID cards). The firing data can be used to confirm or disconfirm criminal or unauthorized activity by identified users and further attempt to keep the weapon out of the hands of unauthorized users.